Lesser Known Treasures of Disney Dining

[Vader2112]

Mayan Grill @ Coronado Springs Resort...the flavors are wonderful and it is a quiet restaurant...

It is a nice hidden Gem. Nice live music in the evening. Food is great.Tequila Flight is fun too.

 

[Vader2112]

I agree that Splitsville had surprisingly good food.

Splitsville is really a restaurant with a Bowling alley in it. Been to one in Tampa and was also pleasantly surprised.

 

[Vader2112]

It was a pleasant surprise for us too. We added it on to our 2011 trip when a freak storm back home stranded us at WDW for an extra two days. It was a standout for us that visit, and that was on a trip that also included dinners at Citricos and Il Mulino. We made it a point to return in 2012, and the follow-up visit didn't disappoint either. I think it was more that it far exceeded our expectations than that it was truly mind-blowing, but either way, it's a solid choice.

I agree as well Boatwrights is a real gem. The menu is fantastic. Had a similar reaction we ate there twice on a trip last fall after not being able to make our reservations at the Poly for Ohana. Went in with a bad attitude about it and left happy. Food was great and the server was nothing short of magical. I had posted a thread about my experiece at Boatwright's on here some time back.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Actually, every trip I may not do other restaurants in MK, but I never miss Liberty Tree Tavern for a relaxing, homey colonial theme. Also, it is my go to place for cheese sticks and cheeseburgers that are really good. On my honeymoon, they gave us beautiful just married badges. So nice! People mention it but not as much as BOG, Cinderella, and others. Just remember, no sit down for dinner, only lunch.

Grand Floridian cafe recs are spot on. It is just another beautiful world there. My parents would not stay anywhere else when I was a child. It is like the backdrop of every old movie that was supposed to look like an elegant lunch at the Plaza in NY. The food is good. The food was amazing in the 80's and early 90's. A nice place for breakfast and lunch. I only did dinner there once or twice but it never happens often because I am usually in a park or having dinner in another hotel due to ADR's. It is usually our first lunch in WDW or our going away breakfast.

And don't forget to do the formal tea at the hotel. It is in the lobby of the main house and it is just really driving the point home that you are in another world and on vacation. And I have done formal afternoon tea at the Plaza in NYC, the St. Regis, and the Peninsula, and this one is up there too.

 

[Victor Kelly]

It's Shutters, isn't it?

No, we didn't like Shutters that much. Food was only eh, service was very good though. I was thinking a more way out of the way place close to MK.

 

[tare]

Boat wrights is great and of course the hoop dee!!

 

[Prince-1]

Our little gems are Kona, ESPN Club at BW (when you are in the mood for some sports and bar food), and the Turf Club At SS.

 

[dolce20]

No question about it - Cabana Bar & grill at the Dolphin, poolside. The menu is awesome and the food is fresh! We loooove this forgotten place for lunch. Many assume its only a bar but I assure you, there's more to it!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

No question about it - Cabana Bar & grill at the Dolphin, poolside. The menu is awesome and the food is fresh! We loooove this forgotten place for lunch. Many assume its only a bar but I assure you, there's more to it!

Indeed. It's a pretty outstanding bar too, but the food is actually really creative. We're having our wedding rehearsal dinner there, and we're really excited about the menu they customized for us. You would never expect a little pool bar to serve things like Korean BBQ Sliders and Tuna Tataki.

 

[dolce20]

You must have fabulous taste, Melissa! What a wonderful, romantic and chic venue for an affair like that! Wonderful!!!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We added it on to our 2011 trip when a freak storm back home stranded us at WDW for an extra two days.

Oh, you mean Irene? We were stranded in WDW too! Pretty good place to be "stranded" lol.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Oh, you mean Irene? We were stranded in WDW too! Pretty good place to be "stranded" lol.

We were home for Irene. This was that freak snowstorm that hit the Northeast in late October with all the downed trees and power lines. I assume your home stayed dry while you guys were away?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We were home for Irene. This was that freak snowstorm that hit the Northeast in late October with all the downed trees and power lines. I assume your home stayed dry while you guys were away?

Yeah, everything was fine. Our neighbors came and tied everything down. We don't stay in the house during hurricanes anyway because we live in a wooded area, but yup, everything was fine

The snowstorm missed us that year! We had no snow. The only days off of school were for the hurricane. My family just north of us in PA had a foot though. Go figure

 

[Sweet Melissa]

The snowstorm missed us that year! We had no snow. The only days off of school were for the hurricane. My family just north of us in PA had a foot though. Go figure

That's funny. That snowstorm was pretty much the only snow we got that season.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

That's funny. That snowstorm was pretty much the only snow we got that season.

Same. It was a real break from the previous seasons when we got dumped on. And then this year we had a snowstorm in March, which is pretty unusual for MD.

It was funny that on Halloween my cousin sent me pictures of her standing next to a snowman

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Same. It was a real break from the previous seasons when we got dumped on. And then this year we had a snowstorm in March, which is pretty unusual for MD.

It was funny that on Halloween my cousin sent me pictures of her standing next to a snowman

We moved to Montana the following February, which made late October snowstorms look quaint. Our last snow of the season in 2012 was Memorial Day weekend, and our first was October 2nd.

 

[l4dybu6]

House of Blues! I went to eat there before a concert and was pleasantly surprised! The food was much better than I had thought.....

 

[WellFedDave]

Bluezoo and Kimono's at the Swan and Dolphin.
Narcoossee's, Citricos, and Grand Floridian Café at GF
Kouzzina at Boardwalk

I am so hungry right now...